A Wielki Dzień project
Blush pink and mint at a garden christening celebration
Written by: Magdalena Raba
Decorations for a christening celebration in the garden: a canopy, table settings in blush pink and mint, flowers in bottles and paper pompoms.
Blue and mint calm the powder pink on the garden table
We decorated the christening celebration in the garden, at one long table. We brought a roof, chairs, tablecloth, napkins, placemats and tableware, as well as flowers in glass bottles with pampas grass and paper pompoms. The palette is defined by three colors: powder pink of the tablecloth, mint of the napkins and light blue of the gauze table runner. The pink is warm and the fabric reaches low on the sides, so this color takes up a lot of space on the table. The blue is cooler but equally light, so the contrast with the pink remains soft. A cool strip of gauze, placed loosely along the center of the table, breaks up the pink and calms its warmth.
The table is surrounded by dense green bushes and deciduous trees, and on one of the bushes you can see red flowers. The light, subdued mint of the napkins brings the color of the garden to the table in a softer tone. White wooden folding chairs with tulle bows on the backrests separate the pastel table from the dark background of bushes. The straw color of the woven pads and the beige of the pampas grass are warm, natural shades, so they match the garden and do not introduce anything alien. Outdoors, as here, the garden itself becomes part of the palette.
Paper pompoms hang in groups under a white roof
We hung paper pompoms in shades of white, cream and pink over the table. They come in several sizes and hang in groups under a white fabric canopy stretched over a dark metal frame. The photo shows one of such groups: large white and cream pompoms next to smaller pink ones, and behind them are the garden trees and a fragment of the frame. Thanks to their different sizes, the group has a free, irregular outline. White and cream repeat the color of the chairs and chrysanthemums, and pink returns to the table in the tablecloth and in the tablecloth.
The flowers on the table are low and there is a lot of empty space between them and the roof. Pompoms fill this space and create a second, lighter layer of decoration. They hang high, above the heads of those sitting, and do not block the view of the garden. Light paper does not burden the roof, but moves with every breeze. Outdoors, we attach such elements solidly, because in the garden you always have to take into account the wind.
Stocks, chrysanthemums and pampas grass in bottles between the place settings
In small transparent bottles we have combined pink stocks, white chrysanthemums with full flowers and pink eustoma with green narrow buds. There are several stems in each bottle, and we added beige feathers of pampas grass to the flowers. In the photo taken from above, you can see how groups of bottles stretch along the blue gauze table runner, gathered in soft folds. The flowers themselves are low, so above them it is easy to see the person sitting opposite. Pampas grass reaches higher, but its light, openwork feathers let the view through.
On both sides of the table runner, there are white plates on round woven pads. Each plate has a mint napkin tied with a thin white ribbon, and next to it there is cutlery and a simple glass. The ribbon repeats on a small scale the white of the tulle bows on the chairs. At the table runner, between the flowers, there are pink pillar candles on glass stands. We prepared both tableware and compositions in bottles, so from the very beginning we were able to match their colors to each other. After the party, we take back what we brought, apart from the flowers, which are left with the hosts.
It is worth planning a christening in the garden together with a roof
Before the christening reception in the garden, decide what kind of roof will be placed over the table and then adapt the decoration plan to it. The height of the roof and its frame determines where pompoms or fabrics will be hung and how much space will be left above the heads of those sitting. Tie everything light securely, because in the garden the wind quickly changes the arrangement of paper and fabrics. Choose low flower arrangements in stable vessels that will not tip over if accidentally knocked over. Choose the colors by looking at the greenery of the garden, because light pastels stand out clearly from it, and subdued mint gently repeats it.
Place candles only on stable stands or in glass, away from loosely hanging fabrics and the edge of the counter, especially when small children are to sit at the table. In the wind, the fabric easily leans towards the flame, so leave a clear space between them. Set the installation date in advance with the garden owner or the facility staff and give us some time before the guests arrive. We start with the roof and everything that hangs high, and we place the flowers on the table only at the end. You don't have to follow all of these tips at once. Choose the ones that suit your party.
